Shooting game toys are generally known including shooting apparatus embodied as gun apparatus. IR electronic shooting games include communication devices for transmission and reception of IR light signals, operating on principles of IR remote control. IR shooting games typically include two channels of IR communication, namely, a channel for transmitting an IR signal (i.e., a tag or shot) and a channel for receiving the transmitted IR signals. Such IR electronic shooting games involve two or more players, each equipped with an apparatus for sending IR signals (e.g., a gun) and an apparatus for receiving IR signals (e.g., a target), wherein the object of the game is to target and shoot opponents with an IR signal, thereby scoring a “hit” or a “tag” until only one player or team remains in the game. Such infrared electronic shooting games are relatively well known and have been available since about 1979. For example, one infrared electronic shooting game sold beginning in about 1986 by WORLDS OF WONDER TM, permitted players to fire invisible beams at one another with each player being provided with a game unit for emission of an infrared light beam. In the WORLDS OF WONDER TM game, a target was affixed to each player in order to count the number of “hits” registered by the target associated with each player, and a player was tagged “out” when six hits were registered for that player. Other infrared electronic shooting games that are known include indoor arena games such as LASER QUEST TM and the like.
In view of the forgoing, traditional implementations of IR shooting game, the several described embodiments for a Lazer Tag Advanced (LTA) system in accordance with the present inventions facilitates novel Infrared Shooting Games (IRSG) systems as well as novel game play and environments for IRSG play. Traditionally, IRSG are simply shooting games. Prior advancements in the art were either electromechanical details such as improved receiver design or improvements in the method of defining a game or storing the results.
In at least a first described embodiment that LTA differs from previous IRSG systems is that it moves away from the pure shooting model. A large element of LTA play is out-thinking your opponents rather than simply out-shooting them. In addition to the expected “tags” or “shots”, there are also “special attacks” which can cause simulated damage, loss of resources or capabilities, or chaotic behavior of the opponent's “gun” (hereinafter referred to collectively with the rest of the apparatus as a “Tagger”) if not properly countered by the successful completion of a short video game, logic puzzle, or code-breaking challenge. Further, players must weigh the option of diverting some of their game resources to the acquisition of “dismissals” for those types of special attacks against which they have the most trouble defending themselves.
In at least a second described embodiment in which LTA advances the art is that the capability of the Tagger itself to evolve as the user gains more experience. Prior IRSG systems kept track of who tagged who only long enough to score the game and perhaps print out the results. Each game was a self-contained entity which had no effect on any future games other than such artificial rules as the players themselves might choose to implement. But in LTA, the outcome of each game feeds into the cumulative total game experience of the Tagger and this in turn affects the capabilities of that Tagger for future games. New types of attacks and defenses become available to the user only as they prove they have mastered previous ones, and failure to master these new capabilities can result in the loss of their use.
In at least a third described embodiment in which LTA differs from traditional IRSG play is in the use of a short-range, wide-angle transmitter for local-area gaming as opposed to the long-range narrow-angle transmitter more normally associated with IRSG style gaming (called “Wide-Area Gaming”). This is of particular use in circumstances where playing with traditional “shooting game” style toys would not be possible or desirable. In playing the Local Area form of gaming, players are using the same special attacks which they could normally be “shooting” at each other in the wide-area gaming mode, but in this case they do not have to be carefully aimed and there is no physical running around needed
In at least a fourth described embodiment in which LTA differs from traditional IRSG is that the special attacks carry with them specific information regarding the sending Tagger. This is particularly important when attempting to implement real-world forms of Fantasy Role-Playing games in which the Tagger represents a player's “character”. In such games, it is not simply the attack itself but the experience “level” of the character launching the attack versus that of the character being attacked which determines how much damage the attack will do if successful. In LTA, this information is used in the scoring of the games (lower-level units gain more experience from defeating higher-level units than do higher-level units for defeating lower-level ones). However, this information could also be used to scale the damage done by such attacks or even to determine whether or not the attack would be registered at all, in accordance with defined game rules.
In at least a fifth described embodiment in which LTA differs from most prior IRSG systems is an extremely non-gun-like appearance. As previously mentioned, this is mainly for the purpose of making LTA's use more acceptable in places or circumstances where a “shooting toy” would not be appropriate. However, it is also envisioned that this will allow for the development of toys strongly themed to the Fantasy Role Playing market which the other LTA capabilities can exploit—for example, “magical” staffs for wizard duels.